Demand for ecotourism: an assessment of recreation value of lagoon in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Leisure and Eco-tourism are a significant opportunity and nexus for managing the relationship between habitats and people, particularly urban ecosystems, where people live in an area that often restricts their communication with natural or semi-natural ecosystems. In the face of increasing demand for urban recreational facilities, the Negombo lagoon has proved to be an important recreational site in a larger urban area. This study assesses the demand for recreation for the Negombo lagoon while explicitly defining the status of recreational activities in the Negombo lagoon through monetary signals to inspire and maintain public support for lagoon security and conservation. However, to measure welfare benefits from recreation, the analysis utilizes both the Individual Travel Cost Method (ITCM) and the Zonal Travel Cost Method (ZTCM).